Transcript The Importance of Community Development and Water Quality

WATERSHED PLANNING
A
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS
University of Missouri Water Quality Program
Staff: Bob Broz, Dan Downing, John Tharp
Watershed Management/Community
Development
Community Development/Watershed
Management is a process to counsel,
educate, and cooperate with communities
(people) as they develop assets to seek
solutions and solve problems, directly or
indirectly affecting quality of life.
Community Development
 People oriented - people have the right to
influence their own destiny
 People learn through interaction &
participation
 Holistic Community Development – consider all
aspects of the community, i.e. human resource
development, economic development,
environmental quality, infrastructure
development, and public safety
Watershed Management/Community Development
Environmental concerns, stemming around watershed
management, provide a catalyst for local communities to
organize and deliberate around water quality issues as a
result of land use decision-making.
Watershed
Management
Community Development
Process
Capacity building - asset
mapping/needs identification
1. Local-level decisionmaking
Increased citizen participation
Community education
Leadership development
Watershed
Management
2.Private/public sector
participation
Community Development
Process
Inclusive decisionmaking
• private
• public/individual
• not-for-profit
Building trust and understanding
through networks & relationships
Watershed
Community Development
Process
Management
Holistic comprehensive
planning
Sustainable communities
3. Long term efforts and
investments in pollution
prevention measures are
essential.
Increased citizen participation
Organizational development
Improved environmental
quality
Improved quality of life
Comprehensive Watershed Management’s fundamental approach is
the integration of organizations and individuals that have
environmental knowledge, skills and resources in the following
areas:
•Water Quality
• Comprehensive Planning
• Land Use Issues
Residential – housing/onsite sewage
Agricultural – farming/forestry/
recreational
Economic development – business & industry
retention/expansion etc.
• Human Resource Development
•Public Safety
Holistic Watershed Management
Fostering Locally – Led Watershed Management
A question that needs to be addressed – “Who will be most
affected by watershed management decisions?”
 A city?
 A county?
 The state or federal government?
 Or the local people that will have to live
with the decisions that have been made?
Holistic Watershed Management
Fostering Locally – Led Watershed Management
Consider the following roles local citizens should play in
sustainable holistic watershed management decision-making:
 Catalyst – directly affected by an environmental issue or
problem and willing to take the lead in organizing a working
group
 Resource provider – asset mapping of watershed
communities to identify local financial, technical and
human resources
Fostering Locally – Led Watershed Management
 Supportive if they understand the reasons for
the decisions
 Empowered local citizens feel comfortable asking
questions of the experts if clarification is needed
 Take the lead in making sure the system
works!
Holistic Watershed Management
Fostering Locally – Led Watershed Management
Consider the following roles agencies could play in
sustainable holistic watershed management decisionmaking:
 Catalyst – incentives or regulation enforcement to
improve watershed environment (Water Quality).
Agency representative living in the watershed
experiencing a problem
 Responsive/Supportive – provide technical resources as
needed for sound holistic watershed management decision –
making
 Step back and let local people control the holistic
watershed management planning process
Holistic Watershed Management
Fostering Locally – Led Watershed Management
Outcomes:
 Develops collaborations and partnerships
among agencies, individuals and
organizations based on common
understanding of the issues and problems
 Accomplishes citizens and agencies goals
Organizational Considerations:
 Informational and organizational time for meeting will be
required
 Groups will travel through the normal stages of
establishing:
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
 Everyone has a voice, and should be encouraged to share
their ideas
Developing common ground is essential to empowering
local communities (people)
Questions for Consideration:
• Is there a real connection between community
involvement and a regulatory issue?
• What becomes of the facilitators role once the group
becomes self-sustaining?
• How do we become a part of the process without
taking over complete control?
• Convincing the group the issues involve everyone and
needs the input of a representative cross-section of
stakeholders?
Sources for Information & Assistance:
• Natural Resource Conservation Service
• Soil and Water Conservation District
• Regional Department of Natural Resources
• University Outreach and Extension – Missouri
Watershed Information Network – URL http://outreach.missouri.edu/mowin
• City/County officials/Planners
• State & Federal Agencies
•Other